Macdonalds of Laggan 'Long-John's relatives

[colin8652]

Thanks so so much for your reply , that's amazing. 

[MonicaL]

Colin, I did make further headway last night before I went to bed 

Ann went on to marry a William Fraser in Laggan in 1859 https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XT5F-FNL  William was 29 at the time of his marriage and a shepherd like his father John. Mother Ann McIntosh, deceased.

You need to verify your steps as you trace Ann as I can see more that one couple with those names having children in the same areas at that time.

Monica

[MonicaL]

I found a family tree on this group on Ancestry www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/166027459/person/292158071815/facts  You need a subs to view and I don't know if you have this. No original documents attached. Working from the details there....which all need to be confirmed on Scotlands People  ...I note the following:

Duncan MacDonald
1807–1888
Birth 5 MAR 1807 Laggan, Inverness-shire
Death 2 SEP 1888 Laggan, Inverness-shire
Father William MacDonald
Mother Ann McPherson

Isabella MacDonald
1808–1897
Birth ABT 1808  Laggan, Inverness-shire
Death 20 JUN 1897 Laggan, Inverness-shire
Father William MacDonald
Mother Ann McPherson

That explains why on the SP death index both mothers show with the McPherson name.

All need confirming, Colin.

Monica

[MonicaL]

This looks like Ann on the 1871 census, following her marriage and with a growing family:

William Fraser 38 Under Foreste? b. Alvie, Invernessshire
Ann Fraser 38 b. Laggan
Sophia Fraser 11
Ann Fraser 8
Duncan Fraser 6
Isabella Fraser 3
Jane Fraser 1
Isabella Mckenzie 22 Servant

Address: Dromanguish, Contin, R & C

By 1881, the family are at Glashcarnoch, Kinlochluichart, Contin. Three more children:

Maggie Fraser 9
Tina Fraser 6
John Fraser 4

William Fraser is now showing as a Gamekeeper. The family remained there until 1901 at least and show on the census there. I think this is Ann's death:

Annie MCDONALD/FRASER
Age 64
Mother's maiden name MCDONALD
1898
060/2 5
Kinlochluichart

Monica

[Skoosh]

Well done indeed Monica, a Crathy birthplace, formerly 30 houses, indicates that the McDonald's were probably RC's.

Bests,
Skoosh.

[colin8652]

thankks again you have been so busy, we earlier today founf the marraige of the tow but then could not find where they went. keep up the great work.  colin

[Skoosh]

The houses shown at Melgarve on Geograph were built by Sir John Ramsden 1870-80 so presumably Duncan & Isabella died there. The house the family occupied in the 1850s/60s was possibly a bit like the black-houses in the Newtonmore museum?
 The Upper Spey, from Garva Bridge to beyond Loch Spey, was formerly subdivided and let as sheilings to farms lower down the Spey and only occupied in summer. These McDonald's were hardy folk wintering at nearly 1200 ft. The business of keepers & shepherds living isolated in such remote locations was a result of the Clearances.

A Good New Year folks,
Skoosh.

[MonicaL]

And a happy one to you too, Skoosh 

Monica

[Skoosh]

Second thoughts folks, raised Melgarve with a local and its quite possible that the Geograph photos of Melgarve is indeed the house that Duncan the keeper & Isabella lived in. The south front has one door & a window, the north has a door and two windows and is adjacent to General Wade's Melgarve bridge of about 1730. Now a bothy the front door accesses the livingroom with a small bedroom off with a north window. The stairs lead to two bedrooms, one large which covers the stable below with north door and window.
 Sir John Ramsden bought Glenshiro & Sherramore estates to add to his Ardverikie (the big hoose on "Monarch of the Glen") holdings and proceeded to build lodges, farms etc'
 His architect John Rhynd designed and built a number of shepherd's houses on the Upper Spey & Glen Roy with the fanks well away from the houses and a small byre/stable at the west end. Very fancy for shepherd's houses of the time but these don't match the lay-out of Melgarve or the joinery work.
  Dating 1870/80 the house nearest Melgarve doesn't fit the census returns for 1851/61 and the probability is that Melgarve was built by a former laird. In any case, if Duncan died at Melgarve in the 1880's that's the house

Bests,
Skoosh.